Signal-light-supporting structure



April 17, 1928. 1,666,102

D. J. M CARTHY SIGNAL LIGHT SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 30, 1926 Patented A r. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. MCCARTHY, OI ELGIN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO CHICAGO RAILWAY SIGNAL & SUPPLY OOHPANY, OF CABPENTERSVILLE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION Oil ILLI- nors. I

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Application filed September E30, 1926. Serial No. 138,587.

The invention relates to improvements in 'means for-supporting signal lights and especially the 'casin containin three indication light signal i ievices, sue as are commonly' used along the rights of way of railroads for indicating danger, caution and ing the beams of light to illuminate an ob- I safety.

One of the objects is to provide improved means for supporting three indication signal devices. Another object is the provision of micromet'ric means for circumferentially' adjustjective field desirable for the purpose and other means for adjusting the device and thellights thereon to vary the angular relation of the beam of light with respect to a horizontal plane.

A further object is to provide a staunch support for a three-light indication device and accurate means to adjust said casing, with respect to the support, in extremely small increments and decrements'of movement, and firm reliable means for holding the parts-in adjusted positions.

Other objects, benefit/s and refinements will become apparent to persons skilled in the art, from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings formin a artv hereof, wherein:

-' On t e rawings:

Figure 1 is aside elevation of the device as it appears mounted on a pipe or staff.

Figure 2is a front elevation of a lower fragment of the casing device and the top of the support.

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken von line HI-III of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is asection taken on of Figure 3.

In all the views the same reference char-'- acters indicate similar parts.

The three indication units are contained in the casing 5, which is mounted on a tubular support -or staff 26. This unit contain-.

ing casing cannot-be rigidly secured to the supporting staff for'the' reason that the pro- .jected rays or beam of light m ust proceed along a very definite path with respect to the railroad track and the perpendicularlty of the stall must he and remain true an unchangeable. It would'be a diflicult operation to so set the stafi that it would not be line IV-IV made in extremely small gradations with respect to its rigid support, so that location of the field of illumination may be varied circumferentially with respect to the vertical axes of the unit about which it is moved and circumferentially about a horizontal axis upon which the unit may be moved. And' finally there must be employed a very rigid and reliable locking means to infallibly hold the unit in adjusted position. The threeindication unit casing 5 accommodates three separated independently operable signal light indicating units 6, 7 and '8 arranged in vertical sequence and each light signal is capable of projecting a characteristically colored light beam, for example, green,-yel low and red, respectively. The casing is divided into three separate light proof compartments or chambers by partitions 10 so that the light from one indication unit will not interfere with the operation of an adjacent umt. Each unit is partly enclosed by a forwardly pro ecting hood or cow-l 11 that protects the unit lens'from the effect of light emanating from the headlight of an approaching locomotive or from the rays of the sun.. Either of which may impinge on the lens and produce a false signal if the lens were not properl shielded by the cowl. These extraneous in uences may also serve to extinguish a signal or to render it'indistinct by a blurring effect. 7

, The light units 6, 7 and 8 within the chambers 12, 13 and 14 respectivel of the casing, may be of any-acceptable c aracter, each having a lamp 15 and one or more lenses 16-46, and when desired, a roundel 18 of suitably colored glass.

The supporting post or staff 26 may well be a pipe, or other eircular support, prop-' erly set in the ground for permanent duration. Overlying the top end of the pipe, a sleeve 17 is rotatable thereon and may be fixed thereto by the set screws 18. Another (1 sleeve 19 is rotatable on theisleeve 17. Its

upper end is closed and projecting upwardly therefrom is '0. lug 20 upon which the threefrom the lower end ofthe casing 5, and are s aced to enclose the lug and are pivota ly mounted on the extending ends of the pintle 21. The casing 5 may beunclined,

. more or less on its dpivoted support.

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' The means-for a usting the extent of inclination of the casing 5 in micrometric gradation will now be described. Two parallel spaced arms 2* and project laterally from and are parts of the outer sleeve 19. A screw bolt 27 passes loosely through said arms 24:and 25 and is held therein by a cotter pin 28. A lug 29, orequivalent, prevents rotation of the bolt 27 A relatively long arm 30 is secured to the lower end of the casing 5 by cap screws 31 and dowel pins 32. At the lower end of the arm 30, an out-turned end 33 is perforated with a clearance hole through which the threaded bolt 27 passes. The out-turned end 33 is concave on each side to receive the convex nuts 34 and35 which are threaded on the bolt 27. By loosening the nuts 34 and 35 and by rotating either one to move the arm 30, to the left or to the right, the I radially projecting lugs with confronting inclination of the casing 5 may be varied in very small increments 'of movements, after which the other nut may be rotated to lock the arm 30 in its adjusted position.

When the casing 5 is mounted on its support, as described, it may be rotated by rotating the sleeves 17 and 19 about the pipe 26, and when an approximate position has been found, the set screws 18 are tightened against the pipe 26. The means for changing the rotatable position of the casin 5 in finer gradations will now be explaine Two arallel arms 36 and 37 project radially rom the sleeve 17, which is now clamped to the pipe 26 by the set screws 18. A pair of wider spaced arms 38 and 39 project laterally from the sleeve 19. A cotter .pin 41 passes through the outer end of the bolt and prevents its withdrawal. A nut 42 is threaded on the bolt 40 and has a tail 43 which slides in the gap between the arms 36 and 37 when the bolt 40 is rotated.

A set screw 44 passes through a lug 45 projecting from sleeve 19, and carries on its inner end a shoe 46 which bears against sleeve 17, when the set screw is turned inwardly, to clamp the sleeves 17 and 19 firmly together. i

To rotate the casing about the sleeve 17, in micrometric progression for exact positioning of the casing 5, the set screw 44 is backed out sli htly so that the sleeve 19 is free to move a out the axis of the sleeve 17. The bolt to is now rotated to move the nut neeeaoa 42 axially thereof, this operation will rotate the sleeve 19 and casing5 about the axis of the supporting pipe 26. When the desired position for the casing 5 has been found, the

set screw 44 may be turnedin to clamp sleeves 17 and 19 together and nut 47 may then be tightened.

These adjustments maybe made at the time of installation and unless the field of illumination is shifted due to effect of frost upon the support, they need to never be made again unless unexpected exigencies may arise from conditions or ordinary use make such adjustments necessary.

While I have'mentioned the support as tubular in the claims, it may as well be solid. The word tubular is used only as means of definition. 7

ll am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide ran e without departing from the principles of this invention, and therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

ll claim as my invention:

1. In a light signal device, a support therefor, a sleeve rotatable on the support having a pair of spaced arms projecting radially therefrom, a. second sleeve] rotatably mounted on the first sleeve having a pair of loose bores and a threaded bolt extending through the bores and a tailed nut in threaded engagement on the bolt, said lugs encompassing the said arms of the first sleeve and the tail of said nut positioned intermediate and adapted to movably engage said arms, and screw means to lock the first sleeve in position on its support.

2. In a light signal device,asupport therefor, a sleeve rotatable on the support, a see- 0nd sleeve rotatable on the first sleeve, acasing inclinably mounted on the second sleeve, an arm depending from the casin having an outturned end with concaved 'si es and a clearance hole therethrough, a pair of spaced arms radially projecting from said second sleeve encompassing said outturned end of the depending arm having confronting bores, and one of said arms having an oset portion, a bolt extending through the boresof the spaced arms and through the bore in the outturned end of the depending arm having its head abutting the ofiset portion on one of the spaced arms to revent turnmg of the bolt, and convex aced nuts in threaded engagement on the bolt and engagingsald outturned end to micrometrically position it along said bolt.

3. In a light signal device, a tubular support therefor, a sleeve rotatable on the support having a pair; of spaced arms projecting radially from the sleeve, a secondsleeve rotatably mounted on the first sleeve having a not lld

bolt extending through the bores and a tailed nut in threaded engagement on the bolt, said lugs encompassing the said'arms of the first sleeve and the tail of said nut positioned intermediate and adapted to movably engage said arms, a pair of spaced arms radlally projecting from said second sleeve having confronting bores and one of said arms having an offset portion to abut a threadedbolt extending through the bores to prevent turning of the bolt, a casing inclina 1y mounted on the second sleeve and an arm dependin from the casing having an outturned en with concaved sides and a clearance hole therethrough, said depending'arm having. its outturned end positioned intermediate said arms on the second sleeve and held in adjustable engagement therewith by convexed faced nuts on the aforesaid bolt passing through the clearance hole in the outturned end. N

In testimony whereof I have hereuntosubscribed my name.

DANIELTJ. McCARTHY. 7 l 

